His name and face may not be the most prominent on campus, but his accomplishments at BU are second to none.
It would be pretty tough to find a Division I walk-on who’s accomplished more than Hasani Hampden.
Not only is the leader of the men’s track and field team among the best athletes at Binghamton, he’s also one of the most modest.
“I don’t like being the poster boy of the team,” Hampden said. “Everybody puts the same amount of work in every day. I’m no different from anybody else.”
Well, he’s a little different.
Hampden was named Field Performer of the Year at the America East Indoor Championships in February and ranks 45th in the nation in the 400-meter hurdles.
Not bad for a track star who started out as a goalkeeper for his high school soccer team.
“One day we were doing a two-mile run and I finished second or third,” Hampden recalled of his days as a goalie. “My school’s track coach said I should try out. He guaranteed I’d make state my first year.”
Hampden took the coach’s advice, made the track team and just like predicted, competed at states in his second semester.
But Hampden knew if he wanted to compete at the top level in college, he had to learn from those around him.
“I learned a lot from [former BU runner] Omar Eldakar,” Hampden said. “He would smoke me every time we got on the track. He was the real deal. He didn’t drink or anything, showed me the ropes, took me under his wing.”
BU head coach Mike Thompson also helped Hampden by giving him the opportunity to compete in other events such as the high jump, long jump and pole vault.
But while Hampden’s diversity has led to many individual accomplishments, the overall improvement of BU’s track team is what he’ll be remembered for most. The track team gets far less funding than most of the school’s other teams, and among the fewest track scholarships in the conference, yet the Bearcats finished third at the America East Outdoor Championships last week.
“Never in my wildest dreams coming here as a freshman did I think we had a chance of being a top program in the America East,” Hampden said. “My first couple of years we were placing sixth and seventh in the conference, so to do this is just amazing.”
For a team of mostly walk-ons, BU has definitely come a long way.
“Most of us haven’t been recruited by big programs; it’s just people who like to run,” Hampden said. “It tells a lot about our coaching staff and a lot about our work ethic as a program. As a team everybody fought hard, and the work has paid off.”
Hampden thinks his improvement on the track is a result of his maturity off of it.
“I’d say I’m more responsible than I used to be,” Hampden said. “When I first came here I was happy to be here, I’d go out, party, have a good time. There were a lot of times I’d put myself in situations I shouldn’t have.
“But then you see the people above you doing well, making sacrifices needed, taking school seriously, things like that. And I saw the success that they had [on the track] so I got a little jealous. So I buckled down sophomore year, cut out the partying a little bit and got really serious about stuff.”
Hampden will conclude his masterful collegiate career at the NCAA East Regional later this month, but will remain in Binghamton next year to finish his MBA.
“I don’t know what I’m going do with my life,” Hampden joked. “All I’ve known for five years is track. All I’ve known is being a student-athlete. It’s sort of bittersweet, but I feel I’m at my peak right now. I think I can still accomplish more but I’ll be happy going out on top.”
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW Hasani Hampden?
Who his Hasani’s most influential person?
Nick Tillman: Nick Tillman
Rory Quiller: Coach Thompson
Chris Turner: Any member of G-Unit
Hasani Hampden: My mother
What is Hasani’s favorite school subject?
Nick Tillman: Ancient Inca Civilizations
Rory Quiller: Recess
Chris Turner: Women’s Studies
Hasani Hampden: Anything dealing with math, probably calculus
If Hasani could go on a date with anyone, whom would he choose?
Nick Tillman: Vida Guerra
Rory Quiller: Nick Tillman
Chris Turner: Lloyd Banks
Hasani Hampden: Free from 106 & Park
What does Hasani usually do on a Saturday night?
Nick Tillman: Parkin’ lot pimpin’
Rory Quiller: Takes an ice bath and goes to bed early
Chris Turner: Lounges around in his sandals and tube socks
Hasani Hampden: I choose not to answer this question